What is happening to the Jamaican dollar? Your Financial FactSheet 15 years ago Jamaica Observer: The Jamaican dollar has been under pressure since the collapse of Lehman Brothers on September 15th of last year against its US counterpart. At the start of 2008, the US dollar was trading at $70.61 and at the end of the year it had reached $80.47, with most of the fall occurring in the last quarter.